...Therefore, Hammurabi’s code was both just and unjust to the lawbreaker, victim, and society. Firstly, Hammurabi’s code is both just and unjust to the law breaker. The laws 53 and 54 are just for the law breaker because a man who damages his neighbor’s field is required to compensate his neighbor for the damage he has caused. Additionally, law 148 is also just because it allows a man to take a second wife if his first wife was seized by a disease. The reason for this is because he is able to have a second wife and the ability to raise a family. To demonstrate the unjustness of Hammurabi’s code for the law breaker an analysis of laws 129 and 195 is relevant. Law 129 was unjust to the law breaker because the punishment is death for an adulterous affair is too severe. Additionally, law 195 is also unjust because is a son struck his father his hands would be cut off and that’s too harsh. Therefore, Hammurabi’s code is...
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...legal obligations and moral obligations yields a logical paradox in his final formation of natural law theory. However, Kings theory need not be completely rejected if his argument is slightly modified to reject the moral obligation to obey laws. King initially uses classical natural law theory as his rational basis to defend his actions. This theory has two main point of views, the first being,” Moral Validity; is a logically necessary condition for legal validity an unjust or immoral law being no law at all” followed by, “The moral order is part of the natural order moral duties being in some sense “read off ” from essences of purpose fixed (perhaps by God) in nature.” According to this theory, morality law, but law that equals morality by definition. Thus for King to use this theory, two requirements are implicit. He must assert that an unjust law is not really a law, and he must provide a moral theory to distinguish just and unjust laws. King first quotes St. Augustine, “an unjust law is no law at all,” to emphasize his agreement with the first claim. He then includes the “law of God” as his moral theory to provide the framework upon which to judge the law. His argument using classical natural law theory at first seems to be a valid and necessary defense for breaking the law, disobeying segregation laws...
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...pessimist regarding the topic. Both Cephalus and Polemarchus are rather defeated in their arguments with Socrates and are unable to adequately provide Socrates with a satisfactory answer regarding what justice is. Thrasymachus enters the conversation and is seemingly annoyed or upset about the discourse between Socrates and Polemarchus. Moreover, Thrasymachus reverses the question to Socrates by demanding to know what his version of justice is. Thrasymachus seems to be frustrated with the audacity of Socrates of questioning everyone without providing and real answers himself. Thrasymachus then asserts his view of justice and in so doing, questions whether or not being a just person in a civilization is of any value whatsoever by the argument he presents against the “just” life. Thrasymachus has a view of justice that it is the advantage of the stronger. He is essentially asserting that different levels of government which rule or whatever entity is in power, are the makers of the law and consequently ensure the...
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...Letter from a Birmingham Jail Analysis Ethos is author’s reputation, credentials and trustworthiness in an argument. King first establishes ethos in his letter through addressing the audience as "fellow clergymen." It lays out a warming and trustworthy tone that, despite his leadership, brings him onto familiar levels with the audience. In the second paragraph, King mentions “I have the honor of serving as president of Southern Christian Leadership conference". Through this, he has establishes his credibility to a greater extent. Through the first ten paragraphs King uses history to set up his credibility. He quotes Bible verses and stories, which reveals him as a knowledgeable man of God. King states “so I am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to Macedonian call for aid." While establishing his virtuous nature, he also demonstrates his wisdom. He does so by quoting from historical figures such as Socrates, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and many other well-known leaders and reformers. He also shows a knowledge of the laws. His core argument focuses on the justice, which is a God given right that he and his people were not receiving. This idea is supported through the use of historical situations and court cases that are relevant to his argument. This allows the clergymen to understand better from where King’s argument grows. Pathos is a part of argument which touches the emotions of the reader. Martin...
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...paradoxical to find us consciously breaking laws. One may well ask, “How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?” The answer is found in the fact that there are two types of laws: there are just laws and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that “An unjust law is no law at all.” Source: King, M. L., Jr....
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...Critical Analysis Essay “Letter from Birmingham Jail” In arguing, writers use different techniques to effectively convey their message to their intended audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was a response to "A Call for Unity" by eight white clergymen in which King’s presence in Birmingham and his methods of public demonstration were questioned. King’s letter was not only a response to his presence in Birmingham, but he also used the opportunity to address the unjust proposals by the clergymen that Negroes wait for the legal system to abolish segregation and unjust laws. King uses rhetorical modes of persuasion such as ethos, pathos and logos to meticulously address and discredit the claims made by the eight white clergymen. Throughout his letter, King also makes many comparisons to effectively illustrate how the Negro pursuit of freedom was timely. To answer the question of his presence in Birmingham, King uses both ethos and pathos to explain why he is qualified to be present leading the demonstrations. To argue the perception of him being “an outsider coming in”, King first states that because he has organizational ties in Birmingham, he has an obligation to be available whenever he is needed. This statement discredits the notion that he is an outsider. To lay the foundation of his argument, King states, “But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.” This statement is used to make King’s presence seem less personal...
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...Nick Genaris Professor Ngoh Protest Literature 21th October 2015 Letter from Birmingham Jail-Rhetorical Analysis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in order to address the biggest issue in Birmingham and the United States at the time (racism) and to also address the critics he received from the clergymen. The letter discusses the great injustices happening toward the Black community in Birmingham and although it is primarily aimed at the clergymen King writes the letter for all to read. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. uses logos, alliteration/repetition, and ethos to back up his belief that nonviolent protesting and disobedience is the most effective means to protest anything that needs to be changed, in this case segregation. After reading King’s letter I, and almost anyone, would come to the conclusion that King is deeply motivated to help against any injustice in the US. Who else would go to such lengths if they didn’t? He knows how persuasive he can be by using his knowledge of the English language, and he uses this to speak out against people who doubt him (clergymen) and to incite a different way of thinking into the people in hopes of change. Dr. King’s letter is extremely effective because it provides an enormous amount of evidence to the reader that he and his company are being treated unjustly and also that King truly cares about making a change for the good of the city. It also re-directs attention...
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...for our sins, but by keeping the faith and follow in his foot step, God the Father would return to earth for the good and faithful servants and violently avenge and destroy the evil and non Christian believers, just as the Roman Empire did to Paul, Peter, John the Baptist, the Jewish people and many others that opposed the unjust Roman Empire rule. Crossan's argument and analysis was based on the Christian Bible being non-violent or violent to for or against Jesus nonviolent mission to save the sinners from hell. Also, Crossan questions as Christians will there be a second coming of God the Father or God the Son as stated in the book of Revelation and Is God’s rule just as violent as the Roman Empire rule. After reading chapter 2, God and the Ambiguity of power, not only inspired me, but quotes from the book of Deuteronomy( 10: 17-18) proves and answers any questions concerning Gods rule for mankind. This scripture proves that no matter who are where you come from we are all equal in Gods eye and deserve respect and equal justice ( So is God violent or fair). I have learned from this book that Roman’s empire was ruled on greed, slavery and a unjust political system. In fact , Jesus came and exposed their ruling and opened the eyes of the people under Rome’s unjust system...
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...wrote “The Letter of Birmingham Jail” from his jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 to persuade readers that although he had been arrested, his actions were respectable and just. King uses many rhetorical strategies and techniques along with a “nonviolent tone” to captivate the audience’s attention whether they are judgemental or skeptical. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written to justify the logical purpose of his actions to disobey the laws of this prejudiced period of time by creating nonviolent protests. King’s letter is an effective argument because he uses many rhetorical appeals and strategies throughout his letter to make his reasoning...
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...Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail The nonviolent approach remains supreme as a way to achieve a peaceful resolution to conflict arising as a result of social, economical and political change in a contemporary society that has faced many of those challenges as a result of the fight for equality and social vices. This is because non-violent actions tend to create an atmosphere for peaceful negotiations and dialogue. In the case of Martin Luther King Jr in his letter from the Birmingham Jail, his idea was to create an atmosphere to frame the minds of his readers and clergymen of the situation in Birmingham caused by injustice and inequality. Martin Luther King Jr’s letter from Birmingham Jail was an icebreaker. The Letter intended to break the chains of segregation and injustice. The letter was written in the 1960s when African Americans were facing a series of injustices in the South as a result of racial segregation. This social injustice was seen in his letter when he used words such as “Negros,” to support his point. He said “ Negros have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the court. They have been more bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. These are the hard brutal facts of the case. On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good faith negations.”(Lee 215) These citations reiterate...
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...better to be just than unjust. Using the analogy of Ring of Gyges, Glaucon Socrates to explain why anyone should still desire justice even if there are no further ends to be pursued such as good reputation and honour. Socrates then offers a conception of justice which goes beyond the definitions offered by his previous interlocuters earlier on in the Republic. This essay will first aim to discuss in detail the challenge set forth by Glaucon followed by an analysis of Socrates' conception of justice with reference to his city-soul analogy. Glaucon claims, on behalf of the average Athenian, that justice is purely a social construction, valued by the masses in view of obtaining a good reputation for justice and virtue(358a). He claims that goods are of three kinds: (1)Goods valued only for what they are and not for their consequences, (2)goods valued for what they are and for their consequences, and (3) goods valued only for their consequences(357b-d). After the two agree on justice belonging to the goods of type-2, Glaucon proceeds to give an explanation of the majority's conception of justice by giving an account of its origins: Before any laws came to be...
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...cultural factors. Only a comprehensive analysis of these problems can equip workers with the tools for mastering them. Thus the need to understand the structural, historical, and moral dimensions of labor problems. WHAT ARE THE COMMON PROBLEMS CONFRONTED BY WORKERS AT THEIR PLACE OF WORK? Low Wages In 1889, the Filipinos organized the first labor union to assert the right of workers to a just living wage. Today, after less than a century of struggle, social conditions remain unchecked. The wage rate in the Philippines is way behind those in other countries; in the United States, wage rate is seventeen times more than the wage rate in the Philippines; in developed countries, ten times more; and in les developed countries, four times more. It is not surprising to learn, therefore, of a survey conducted by the Union Bank of Switzerland placing the Filipino workers’ wage second to the lowest in the world. Poor Working Conditions Forced to suffer under poor working conditions in exchange for unemployment and eventual starvation, Filipino workers have long been deprived of the right to life and duty to work. Inadequate physical facilities and occupational safety measures exposure to hazardous chemicals, unreasonable work schedule, unjust compensation, inadequate leave benefits, limited, if not absence of opportunity for personal and professional growth, and unstable employment status – these are but a few of the unjust working conditions that burden Filipino...
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...Friedrich Nietzsche was a European philosopher from Prussia. He was born in 1844 and passed away at age 55 in Germany. Nietzsche was very well educated. He studied Theology at the University of Bonn and eventually earned his doctorate from the University of Leipzig. For ten years he served as chair of classical philology at Basel in Switzerland. My focus is going to be on his writing, Beyond Good and Evil. It is important to note for the analysis of this book that Nietzsche came from a materialist, or atheist background. In Beyond Good and Evil, the ethical model he promotes is one that is driven by power. The other writing I will look at is Martin Luther King, Jr's Letter from Birmingham Jail. Like Nietzsche, King was also very sophisticated....
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...Philosophical Analysis 1 The invisibility cloak has long held a place in the minds of people as an object to be desired in times of social anxiety. Recently, scientists have translated the concept from the pages of fantasy novels to play a part in a psychological experiment - one which provides a subject with virtual reality (VR) goggles that craft an illusion of one’s body being invisible. When asked to stand before a small crowd, those experiencing the mental illusion of invisibility reported “lower heart rates and stress levels” in comparison to when the VR system gave the subjects a physical body (Sample 2015). Further studies plan to examine whether this “sensation of invisibility” would influence one’s moral decisions (Sample 2015). The main philosophical perspectives, however, each predict their own evaluation of decision-making in the face of ethics. As Schafer-Landau details, from the viewpoint of a normative subjectivist, whether an invisible person chooses to act rightfully or not depends solely on the person’s approval of the action. In such a situation, if one were to commit a crime, whether the crime is ethically good or bad is simply at the mercy of the person’s judgement - which could vary once he or she attains invisibility. One may perceive robbing a bank as primarily morally bad, but once invisible, external factors such as reputation and punishment are erased, leading to a readjustment in moral assessment: “Robbing a bank isn’t wrong, it won’t put a dent...
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...Research Analysis and Position Statement Andrea Schnitz Huntington University Synopsis Today, the federal prison system is operating at 40% over capacity. Many of these prisoners in the system are still imprisoned because of mandatory minimum sentences. Many of them committed non-violent crimes and are being punished longer than what the actual crime may deserve. In fact, some have been wrongly accused or were only vaguely associated with a crime, but are being imprisoned for the mandatory minimum. The number of prisoners is increasing because of mandatory minimums, which is requiring more funding from the states. The major issue associated with mandatory minimum sentencing is that it has increased imprisonment, but it has not reduced the crime rate, especially in drug related cases. Position Statement Mandatory minimum sentences have increased imprisonment, which has cost the states more money. Having mandatory minimum sentences has not reduced crime and therefore, is not effective. It should not be repealed completely, but there need to be certain adjustments made according to what crimes and type of involvement with crimes require mandatory sentencing. The U.S. Senate is considering two bills that would revise the federal sentencing laws in the case of mandatory minimum sentences. The Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013 expands the existing sentencing “safety valve” by allowing a judge to depart downward from any mandatory minimum, if the court finds that it is necessary...
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